


Tomorrow is Another Day

by throwntotheair (eloquentelegance)



Series: the friends theme song [2]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 03:09:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7249651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eloquentelegance/pseuds/throwntotheair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They're gone. Mom. Dad. Both of them. They're gone. They're not coming back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tomorrow is Another Day

**Author's Note:**

> One day I will write something Duke-centric. Today is not that day. 
> 
> I always write Duke helping out Damian. It's high time Damian returned the favor. In his Damian way. Involves punching. Of course.

**Time:** Between _We Are Robin_ #8 and #9  
**Where:** Duke’s bedroom  
a partial sequel to [Robin War Epilogue](http://cursedcomickids.tumblr.com/post/141808790213/robin-war-epilogue)

Duke just found his parents, still Jokerized, with no memory of him whatsoever.

* * *

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in China or something?” Duke asks, scowling at the shadow.

“Sheridan is concerned,” the shadow replies, unphased.

“Riko can deal. Go away.”

“You haven’t answered any messages.”

“Didn’t you hear me? Leave me alone!”

“You’re being foolish.”

“Fuck you and the bat you rode in on. Get out!”

The shadow peers at him with unblinking white lenses. There’s a pause. Duke holds his breath. He flexes his hands, drawing his shoulders up and pulling his arms close. Just give him a reason. _Any_ reason. Come on, kid.

“... Make me.”

Duke throws out the first punch. Robin dodges, of course. Duke is no match for the kid, never was. But that’s not the point here. He kicks and he bites and he hits with all the blind mania of a cornered animal. It’s not about winning. That’s not what Duke wants right now. He uses his elbows, his knees, even the flat of his brow. Robin doesn’t even flinch.

“Pathetic.”

Duke roars, a wordless, senseless sound of agony. He swings a fist, not even aiming, just moving, just doing. Then, he’s pinned. He lands on the floor with a thud. All the fight in him forced out, along with his breath. He stays like that, face pressed down, Robin sitting on his back.

“You need help.”

“Fuck you,” Duke spits. “The only thing I need is my foot shoved up your ass. Leave me alone!”

“You’ve been alone. You’ve been alone for the last eight days.”

“Yeah! And you know what? I’m gonna stay alone! This is my life now! Okay?! This is my fucking life now!” Duke draws a sharp rattling breath. He feels the sour prick of tears in his eyes. He’s nowhere near the vicinity of giving a damn. “They don’t remember me. Mom’s never gonna nag me about my grades. Dad’s never gonna tell me to clean my room. Fuck. My room’s gone. Everything’s gone. I’m never - !” He hiccups, choking on a sob. “I’m never getting my life back.”

Robin silently lets him go. Duke pulls himself up, keeping his face turned. The tears roll freely down his face. He hasn’t cried this much since he was three. It would probably be more embarrassing if Duke could feel anything.

He hears the rustle of a cape. Looking over, Duke sees Robin settled at his side - nowhere near touching, but close. He turns away, letting the silence blot his thoughts.

It’s late. It’s dark. It’s hot. Summer is bleeding out on Gotham. The spray of heat is thick and sticky in the air. Breathing feels like inhaling soup.

He can drown like this, Duke thinks. Just sitting in his room, no lights on, he can drown. He’s got nothing left in him, nothing to keep him floating, nothing to keep him up. He’s going to sink. He is sinking. He wants to sink. He’s so tired.

“You’re an idiot.”

Robin’s voice feels like a slap of ice water. Glancing at him, Duke glares.

“Sheridan is concerned,” Robin says again. “Ortiz won’t shut up. Tweedle Dax and Tweedle Dre are up to something. It’s a mess.”

Duke snorts. “So?”

“Fix it.”

“You fix it.”

“They’re not looking for me.” Robin falls silent. His mouth curls like it died and dried up. Then finally, he says, “... your friends miss you...”

“You know, we weren’t really… We were just a bunch of dumb kids. You said it yourself. We had no business being out there.”

“I said there was more to Robin than fighting. I said you have to care about the people around you. I told you not to be an idiot. And yet, here you are. Being an idiot.”

“Man, fuck off. What gives you the right to come in here, calling me an idiot, and giving out lectures, huh? Do you have to act all high and mighty to my face? I get it. You’re better than me. Everyone got the message. Can’t you just fuck right back to whatever ninja monastery you came from, and leave me the hell alone!”

“To quote a fool I once knew, ‘I ain’t done. So this ain’t done.’”

Duke blinks and looks at Robin. The kid copied his voice again. It’s really weird to hear your voice coming from someone else.

Robin licks his lips, clearing his throat. “The same fool told me not to act alone, not to act like my deeds operated in a vacuum. I can’t simply just throw myself away. People needed me. I _have_ people who need me. It’s not something you can walk away from, or forget.”

For a moment, Duke just gapes at him. Then, he snorts, a laugh breaking free from his throat. “Wow. Using my own words against me, huh? Did they teach you that in ninja school?”

“Full House, actually.”

“No. Who said it?”

Robin squints at him. “Joey.”

Duke falls back, cackling. “You’re totally bullshitting me right now, aren’t you?”

Robin only smirks.

Duke shakes his head. A grin twists his mouth, but not in any way happy. "I can't do it, man. I just... I'm tired. I can barely take care of myself, much less help anybody else."

"Who said anything about you taking care of them?" Robin snorts. 

And oh. Heh. Duke _finally_ gets it. God, leave it the kid to be as  _obtuse_ as possible. He wonders if it's like, a Bat thing, to never say what you mean, talking in some convoluted code. Or maybe they're just a bunch of socially awkward chumps. Duke stifles a snicker. 

An easy silence settles in the room. It feels like the first, long breath after almost drowning. Duke leans against his bed. Every part of him aches, but the exhaustion is warm, almost cozy in a way.

“Go see Ortiz,” Robin tells him. “Or Sheridan. Whoever. But talk to them. You’re all just wandering in a daze. It’s infuriating.”

Duke huffs, feeling his eyes droop low. “Watching over us, Robin? Like some kind of murderous, bratty, guardian angel.”

“Tt. Don’t be ridiculous, Duke Thomas.”

“Man,” he yawns, his eyes sliding shut. “Call me Duke.”

He must’ve fallen asleep, because the next thing he knows, it’s morning, Duke finds himself in bed. He almost thought it a dream, all of last night with Robin. But he woke up tucked in. No one’s tucked him in since… Duke breathes in deep.

Grabbing his phone, he scrolls through his messages. A small pit of guilt congeals in his belly. Yeah. He’s been alone long enough.


End file.
